Collection Summary
Sylvanus Bourne Papers
1775-1859
(bulk 1800-1815)
1775-1859
(bulk 1800-1815)
MSS13367
Bourne, Sylvanus,
1761-1817
4100 items
39 containers
6.6 linear feet
English
French
Collection material in
English and
French
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Massachusetts
businessman and United States consul in Santo Domingo (1790-1791) and in
Amsterdam, the Netherlands (1794-1817). Drafts and photocopies of Bourne’s
personal and diplomatic correspondence, business and commercial papers, a
scrapbook, and account books. Consists primarily of correspondence relating to
commerce between the United States and European countries, primarily France and
Great Britain, and United States foreign relations and politics. Other material
concerns Bourne’s business in Massachusetts and the Bourne family.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Adams, John Quincy, 1767-1848--Correspondence.
Alexander, Lawson--Correspondence.
Bourne family--Correspondence.
Bourne, Sylvanus, 1761-1817.
Codman, Richard, 1762-1806--Correspondence.
Curtis, George Rix--Correspondence.
Forbes, John Murray, 1771-1831--Correspondence.
Forman, Joseph, active 1800--Correspondence.
Gregory, George John--Correspondence.
Harris, Levett--Correspondence.
Maury, James, 1746-1840--Correspondence.
Mountflorence, James C.--Correspondence.
Murray, William Vans, 1760-1803--Correspondence.
Pitcairn, Joseph--Correspondence.
Ridgway, J. (Jacob)--Correspondence.
Robertson, J., active 1803--Correspondence.
Rohan, H.--Correspondence.
Russell, Jonathan, 1771-1832--Correspondence.
Swan, James, 1820-1895--Correspondence.
Warden, David Bailie, 1772-1845--Correspondence.
Worsdell, William--Correspondence.
Subjects
Diplomatic and consular service, American--Netherlands.
Diplomatic and consular service, American--Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic)
Places
Europe--Commerce--United States.
France--Commerce--United States.
Great Britain--Commerce--United States.
Massachusetts--Commerce.
United States--Commerce--Europe.
United States--Commerce--France.
United States--Commerce--Great Britain.
United States--Commerce--History--19th century.
United States--Foreign relations--1783-1865.
United States--Politics and government--1783-1865.
Occupations
Businessmen.
Diplomats.
Provenance
The papers of Sylvanus Bourne, businessman and United States consul
in Santo Domingo and in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, were purchased by the
Library of Congress in 1903, 1952, and 1966.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Sylvanus Bourne
is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Sylvanus Bourne are open to research. Researchers are
advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many
collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these
items for research use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, Sylvanus Bourne Papers, Manuscript
Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Sylvanus Bourne (1761-1817) span the years 1775-1859
with the bulk of the collection dating from 1800 to 1815. The papers consist of
drafts and photocopies of Bourne’s personal and diplomatic correspondence,
business and commercial papers, a scrapbook, and account books.
The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence between Bourne
and other American consular officers in European ports relating to commerce
between the United States and European countries, primarily France and Great
Britain. Bourne’s correspondence addresses depredations on American commerce
and includes letters from his colleagues in other European cities. Among the
correspondents are Lawson Alexander, Richard Codman, George Rix Curtis, John
Murray Forbes, Joseph Forman, George John Gregory, Levett Harris, James Maury,
Joseph Pitcairn, J. Ridgway, J. Robertson, H. Rohan, and William Worsdell.
Other correspondents include John Quincy Adams, James C. Mountflorence, William
Vans Murray, Jonathan Russell, James Swan, and David Bailie Warden.
Other topics concern United States foreign relations and politics and
Bourne’s business in Massachusetts. The collection also includes family
correspondence and a scrapbook with material relating to Thomas Jefferson,
Tobias Lear, and George Washington.
Arrangement of the Papers
Almost all of the material in this collection has been bound in
volumes arranged chronologically.
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm79013367]
Container List
Container
Contents
1
Bound volumes
1
1775, Oct. 10-1792, Jan. 15
1775, Oct. 10-1792, Jan. 15
2
1792, Jan. 19-1795, Nov. 24
1792, Jan. 19-1795, Nov. 24
3
1795, Nov. 25-1797, Jan. 27
1795, Nov. 25-1797, Jan. 27
4
1797, Jan. 30-Nov. 20
1797, Jan. 30-Nov. 20
5
1797, Nov. 22-1798, Oct. 1
1797, Nov. 22-1798, Oct. 1
6
1798, Oct. 4-1799, Dec. 6
1798, Oct. 4-1799, Dec. 6
7
1799, Dec. 7-1800, Aug. 1
1799, Dec. 7-1800, Aug. 1
8
1800, Aug. 2-1801, Jan. 26
1800, Aug. 2-1801, Jan. 26
9
1801, Jan. 27-Apr. 27
1801, Jan. 27-Apr. 27
10
1801, Apr. 28-Aug. 10
1801, Apr. 28-Aug. 10
11
1801, Aug. 11-1802, Mar. 2
1801, Aug. 11-1802, Mar. 2
12
1802, Mar. 6-Dec. 10
1802, Mar. 6-Dec. 10
13
1802, Dec. 13-1803, Nov. 3
1802, Dec. 13-1803, Nov. 3
14
1803, Nov. 3-1804, Mar. 9
1803, Nov. 3-1804, Mar. 9
15
1804, Mar. 11-Aug. 1
1804, Mar. 11-Aug. 1
16
1804, Aug.2-Nov. 12
1804, Aug.2-Nov. 12
17
1804, Nov. 13-1805, Mar. 26
1804, Nov. 13-1805, Mar. 26
18
1805, Mar. 27-July 21
1805, Mar. 27-July 21
19
1805, July 22-Dec. 22
1805, July 22-Dec. 22
20
1805, Dec. 23-1806, July 11
1805, Dec. 23-1806, July 11
21
1806, July 12-1807, Jan. 7
1806, July 12-1807, Jan. 7
22
1807, Jan. 17-July 22
1807, Jan. 17-July 22
23
1807, July 23-Oct. 19
1807, July 23-Oct. 19
24
1807, Oct. 20-1808, Jan. 8
1807, Oct. 20-1808, Jan. 8
25
1808, Jan. 9-May 19
1808, Jan. 9-May 19
26
1808, May 21-1809, Apr. 7
1808, May 21-1809, Apr. 7
27
1809, Apr. 10-Aug. 2
1809, Apr. 10-Aug. 2
28
1809, Aug. 3-Sept. 24
1809, Aug. 3-Sept. 24
29
1809, Sept. 25-1810, Apr. 10
1809, Sept. 25-1810, Apr. 10
30
1810, Apr. 17-1811, July 2
1810, Apr. 17-1811, July 2
31
1811, July 3-Dec. 8
1811, July 3-Dec. 8
32
1811, Dec. 11-1812, Nov. 28
1811, Dec. 11-1812, Nov. 28
33
1812, Nov. 30-1815, Jan. 5
1812, Nov. 30-1815, Jan. 5
34
1815, Jan. 9-1816, Jan. 22
1815, Jan. 9-1816, Jan. 22
35
1816, Jan. 26-1859, Apr. 1
1816, Jan. 26-1859, Apr. 1
36-38
Undated
Undated
39
Unbound material
39
Account books,
1799-1813, undated
1799-1813, undated
(3
folders)
39
General,
1791-1826, undated
1791-1826, undated
39
Notebook,
undated
undated
39
Scrapbook,
undated
undated